Latching mechanism for caskets



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2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1959 INVENTOR W N 0 mm:

United StatS 3,003,801 LATCHING MECHANISM FOR CASKETS Jim P. Wilkrson, 3025 Trice Ave., Waco,;Tex. Filed Mar. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 800,846

2 Claims. (Cl. 292-96) This invention relates to latching and sealing mechanisms for caskets, and in general, aims to provide a very simple, easily installed latching mechanism which will pull down, latchand'seal the cap or lid of a burial casket when operated from one end ofV the casket. The mechanism of the invention is particularly adapted to be used on sheet metal caskets, which are never of uniform dimensions due to the nature of sheet metal and the mode of manufacture of these caskets and which therefore are the source of many diculties arising during the installation and adjustment of the mechanisms. The invention particularly seeks to simplify the more elaborate mechanisms shown in my Patents Nos. 2,708,301 and 2,708,302 dated May 17, 1955. There is an acute demand for a simpler, less expensive, more reliable, easier installed latching mechanism which may be used with various types of caskets, including the full couch and half couch forms, and the glass top casket: this demand the present invention seeks to satisfy.

In the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention,

FIG. l is a fragmentary elevation of a casket, viewed from the rear wall, with the latching mechanism of the invention shown in dotted lines in lid-latching position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper front edge of the casket of FIG. 1, the lid being omitted, the latching mechanism being shown in full and dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation on a much larger scale, showing the latching mechanism in full lines, and in lidreleasing position in dot-and-dash lines;

FIG. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of some of the operating elements of the mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is a cross section through the preferred seal, which is associated with and co-operates with the latching mechanism.

Referring particularly to the drawings, one of the four corners of a burial casket body 10 is shown, together with part of a lid or cap 11 which closes the open top of the casket. It will be understood that the casket body 10 may have one or two caps, swingable on hinges (not shown) at the top of the rear wall. The cap or caps are provided with pins 12 rigidly secured in horizontal positions extending from front to rear, said pins being each fixed to a channel or angle iron 13, or similar metal reinforcement, which is welded or otherwise fixed to the edge of the cap on the inside front wall thereof. Only one of the pins 12 is shown, but each cap or lid will have at least two such pins, and if the lid extends the full length of the casket, four or more of said pins will be provided. These pins are `keepers for the latches to be described.

Each latch 14 is a bell crank lever, pivoted to swing in a vertical plane on a pin 15 that is fixed to a channel or angle iron or other reinforcement 16 which is welded or otherwise xed to the upper edge of the casket body 10 on the inside wall thereof. The outer ends of the latches 14 are shaped like hooks and are adapted to engage the keeper pins 12 with their inside edges 17. These edges 17 preferably have a cam action when the latches are swung, to pull down the lid and thereby compress the elastomeric seal 18, which is secured by an adhesive to the upper edges of the casket body. Seal 18 substantially covers said upper edges on all four sides of the casket and may be channel-shaped in cross section, as illustrated in FIG. 6, or it may have other forms. A slot 18a is mentary seal, as disclosed inthe aforesaid patents.

cut in the seal to permit the latch 14 to swing back and forth above the top edge of the casket. Complemental slots 13a, 16a'are in the reinforcements 13, 16 respective-y ly and the lid and casket body have registering slots for the same purpose; 'f The lid or capmay have a comple- Obviously the shape of the cam edge 17 will determine the extent towhich the hook end of the latch will pull the lid down to deform the seal to make an air-tight joint between the lid and the casket body. -FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a moderate pressure on the seal, with a small air-gap 18b between the edge of the lid and the top surface 0f the seal. yOther designs of the latch or anfunevenness in the level or form of the metal casket edge would cause this air-gap to be eliminated (at least at some points) and the seal would then be spread laterally in both directions by the deforming pressure of the latchin-g mechanism. This will be understood by reference to FIG. 4.

The lower end of latch 14 is pivotally connected as at 19 to an operating link 20 which extends longitudinally of the casket body in the space under the molding at the upper front edge thereof. Link 20 has a pivotal connection 21 with a nut 23, which is square in cross section and elongated, having a ange 24 projecting from one end with a bore 25 for pivot 21. The next adjacent latch l(not shown) is operated by a link 22 which is pivotally connected at one end to the illustrated latch 14, the two latches and the link 22 forming a parallel motion linkage. Nut 23 is slidable in an elongated hollow casing 26 which has a threaded hollow neck 27 projecting from its outer end. Neck 27 may be an extension of a plug 28 closing the end of the casing and being iixed in said end in any suitable manner. The threaded neck 27 projects through the end wall of the casket body, and a nut 29 is screwed on said neck until it bears against said end wall to secure the casing and associated parts to the casket body. A gasket (not shown) may be placed under nut 29 to seal the area where the casing is supported.v

To move the nut 23 and thus operate the latches, a lead screw 30 has a head 3-1 provided with a hexagonal socket 32, said head being turnable in a counterbore 33 provided in the neck 27. The inner end of head 31 has an annular shoulder 34 which bears against a similar shoulder 35 at the base of the counterbore 33. The threads on the lead screw 30 extend into a tapped bore 36 in the nut 23, and also support a collar 37 held to a set screw 38, said collar bearing against the annular surface 39 on the inner end of the hollow neck 27. It will be clear that collar 37 prevents movement of the lead screw outwardly, while the engaging shoulders 34, 35 prevent inward movement thereof, so that only rotation of the lead screw on its axis is permitted. A crank, not shown, having a hexagonal end is inserted in the socket 32 when it is desired to rotate the lead screw to operate the latches. Normally the socket 32 is protected and concealed by a knurled cap nut 40 screwed on the end of neck 27 but manually removable when the latching mechanism is to be operated The operation of the mechanism is obvious from the foregoing description. Manual turning of the crank in the socket 32 will cause the latches to swing toward locking or unlocking position. When the lids are locked, the seal is deformed and the casket is securely sealed.

What I claim is:

l. A locking mechanism for sheet metal caskets comprising, in combination, a casket body having front, rear and end walls; a lid or cap having a keeper pin fixed thereto near its lower edge; a hook-like latch engageable at its upper end with said keeper pin to pull down said lid or cap, said latch being pivoted on said casket body near the upper edge thereof and being adapted to swing in a vertical plane; a link pivotally connected with the lower end Patented Oct. l0, 1961 of said latch and adapted to be reciprocated to swing said latch. toi locking. and. unlocking p.ositions;ra lead screw supported for axial rotation on said casket body; a nut threaded on and movable longitudinally of the lead screw; a pivotal connection directly coupling; said nut=v and said linkg. an elongated hollow casingclosed except at its ends;` meansv to mount said casing rigidly in a horizontal positionv on an end wall of the casket body; saidnuttraveling longiin the casing; means associated with said casing to holdl said lead'screw against longitudinal travel while-permitting free rotation thereof; the lead screw having, a socketed head accessible from outside the end wall of the casket and adapted toreceive a crank so` that an operator may turn the lead screw to lock and unlock the" lid or cap.

2. The invention defined in claim l, wherein the nut is square in cross section and the casing is also square in cross section; there being a p lug closing one end of the casing and said plug having, a threaded neck extending beyond the end of the casing; the socketed head of the lead screw being rotatable in a counterbore in said threaded neck and bearing against the base of the counterbore; a collar being xed` to: the. l'eadl screw and bearing against the inside surface of'the plug, within the casing.

ReferenceslCitedi-in thele of this patentv UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,708,301 Wilkirson May 17, 1955 2,753,613' Baker Iuly 10,` 1956 2,889,609 Eisenhard: etl al.p lune 9, 1959 2,945,717 Trice July 19,1196() 

